MM Lee sees great potential in increasing bilateral trade with Ah Nehs

India and Singapore have great potential to increase bilateral trade, according to Singapore's Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew.

Speaking at a Singapore Symposium in New Delhi, organised by the Institute of South Asian Studies and the Confederation of Indian Industry, Mr Lee said he also sees India playing a greater role in South East Asia.

Singapore is India's largest trading partner in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region.

After the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) became operational four years ago, Singapore investments in India have increased considerably, and bilateral trade has been growing at over 30 per cent annually.

Singapore is keen on setting up a multi-product special economic zone in India, but the plan has been delayed.

Singapore contributes nine per cent to India's FDI inflow. Mr Lee said that this investment could be much higher if India takes care of its bottlenecks in trade and infrastructure that are hampering the development of the country.

"Free your bureaucracy from successive control, allow your entrepreneurs to expand," said Mr Lee. "And if you can get your infrastructure in place, then you can have massive FDI inflows, which will provide tens, if not hundreds of millions of jobs."

Mr Lee also said India and China are helping the smaller countries in Asia tide over the economic crisis. The economic progress made by both Asian giants has created better trading opportunities for their smaller neighbours.

Mr Lee said: "Asia has a less disadvantage, or is less affected by American setback because of India and China. These two big countries have the population and the internal dynamics to keep growing.

"They have kept growing at around eight per cent. So that has kept the region, at least South East Asia, more buoyant than other regions."

Mr Lee is in India on a four-day official visit. He earlier met India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and the two leaders reviewed the substantial progress made in bilateral relations over the past few years.

Chinese Minister meets Prataman at Istana

China's Minister for State Administration of Religious Affairs Wang Zuo An met President S R Nathan at the Istana on Friday afternoon.

Also present at the meeting were leaders from the Inter-Religious Organisation and religious leaders from China and Singapore.

Meanwhile, the joint Singapore-China Religious and Cultural Exhibition, which is on-going at Suntec City till next Tuesday, showcases the multi-religious and multi-cultural aspects of both countries.

The exhibition has been organised to foster friendship and enhance understanding between the followers of the different religious beliefs.

Also update on the Singapore Pavilion for Shanghai Expo 2010?

Goodbye Ram Tiwary

You don't look Indian to me...

The former Singaporean student found guilty of murdering two of his flatmates in Australia, has been jailed for a maximum 48 years.

With parole and time already served the earliest Ram Tiwary can expect to be released is 2042.
It was the climax to a murder investigation which began more than six years ago when the bodies of Singaporean students Tony Tan Poh Chuan and Tay Chow Lyang were found in the apartment they shared with Tiwary in this house.

Both young men had been clubbed to death with a baseball bat.
The horrific nature of the killings sent shock waves through the nearby University of New South Wales, where many of the students were also Asian.
Initially there were fears the murders were racially motivated.
But eight months later in a surprise breakthrough, police charged their flatmate Ram Tiwary with their deaths.

Then 23, Tiwary was on a scholarship awarded him by the Singapore armed forces.
Protesting his innocence, he was later found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment.
However, an appeal court later ordered a re-trial on the grounds the judge had misdirected the jury.

The second trial, which lasted 26 days, again found Tiwary guilty.
And today he was told he could expect to spend the next 33 years of his life behind bars.
The judge said both murders were violent and savage which elevated the gratvity of the crime.
In the case of Tan, the second victim, this was not a spontaneous attack, he said, rather an execution to prevent him giving evidence against the offender.

The prosecution earlier claimed that Ram Tiwary had the "motive, opportunity and capacity" to carry out the murders.

The fact that he also owed Mr Tay several thousand dollars in back rent, might also have provided a motive.

Tiwary’s relatives, who earlier admitted they were still "terribly distraught," were not in court today. Nor were relatives of the dead men.

But the convicted Singaporean is unlikely to let things rest.

His defence team would not confirm whether he is likely to appeal, but Tiwary’s courtroom demeanour suggested he was unmoved by the length of his sentence.

He offered no response before or after the sentence was handed down.

MM Lee on 4-day official visit to India

Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew will be making an official visit to New Delhi from Monday until Thursday.

A statement from the Prime Minister's Office said he will meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as well as key Indian ministers and business leaders.

Mr Lee will also participate in a dialogue session at the Singapore Symposium, which is jointly organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry and the Institute of South Asian Studies of Singapore.

Prataman on Holiday

President SR Nathan has left on a private visit to Spain and will be away till the 16th of the month.

During his absence, Mr Abdullah Tarmugi, Speaker of Parliament, will act for the President till the 5th of December.

Mr J Y Pillay, Chairman of the Council of Presidential Advisers, will act for the President from 6 to 16 December.

Do they get some of his Pay too?

Another Medal for so and so...

The Chief of the Defence Staff of the French Armed Forces (FAF), General (GEN) Jean-Louis Georgelin, was conferred Singapore's highest military award, the Darjah Utama Bakti Cemerlang (Tentera) [or Distinguished Service Order (Military)], by President S R Nathan at the Istana this afternoon.

The medal was awarded to GEN Georgelin for his significant contributions in strengthening the excellent defence ties between the FAF and the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). Under his leadership, professional military exchanges and defence collaborations between the two forces have grown in scope and depth. In particular, GEN Georgelin's support for the Republic of Singapore Air Force's Advanced Jet Training detachment in Cazaux has enabled RSAF pilots to hone their flying skills and benefit professionally from regular contact with their French counterparts. GEN Georgelin has also been instrumental in ensuring the smooth progress of the Republic of Singapore Navy's (RSN's) Frigate Programme, providing invaluable training opportunities for the RSN frigate crew. These professional and personal interactions have enhanced the mutual understanding and rapport between the officers and men of the two armed forces.

GEN Georgelin, who is in Singapore for a two-day visit from 25 to 26 November 2009, called on Chief of Defence Force Lieutenant-General (LG) Desmond Kuek and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Teo Chee Hean at the Istana before the investiture. Guests at the investiture included Mr Teo, Minister for Education and Second Minister for Defence Ng Eng Hen, LG Kuek, as well as other senior government officials and military officers from Singapore and France.

Prataman meets Russian President DMITRY MEDVEDEV

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev is on a State Visit to Singapore at the invitation of President S R Nathan from 15-16 November 2009. President Medvedev called on President Nathan and received a call by Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew at the Istana today. He was also hosted to a state banquet by President Nathan.

At the call on President Nathan, both leaders agreed that bilateral relations were warm and friendly. There was potential to strengthen relations even further, in areas such as increasing people-to-people relations. To give impetus to bilateral relations, the leaders discussed the establishment of an Inter-Governmental Commission which would be co-chaired at a high level. The Inter-Governmental Commission is expected to explore and promote broad-based cooperation in a variety of fields. President Nathan and President Medvedev also discussed the outcome of the recently-concluded APEC Economic Leaders Summit.

At the call by Minister Mentor Lee, both leaders had a good discussion on international and regional issues. President Medvedev also conferred an Order of Friendship award on Minister Mentor Lee for “outstanding contribution to the development of Russia-Singapore relationship”.

He also meet Pinkie and Lau Goh.

Singapore receives Panda gift from China

SINGAPORE is getting a pair of black and white furry envoys from China to mark the milestone of 20 years of diplomatic relations.

Visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao announced on Wednesday at an Istana state banquet that a pair of giant pandas will be delivered to Singapore, as he expressed confidence that Singapore-Sino relations will reach 'a new high'.

The endangered creatures, which China rarely sends overseas, will arrive here in 2011 and Chinese diplomacy experts believe it is a sign of deepening friendship between the two nations.
'It reflects the importance of Singapore in China's foreign policy. Beijing does not send out pandas lightly,' said international relations analyst Shi Yinhong of Renmin University.

Singapore joins an exclusive club of overseas panda hosts, becoming only the seventh country since 1994 to receive the black and white creatures from China.

The pair of pandas, a one-year-old female and a two-year-old male, are from the Wolong panda reserve in China's south-western Sichuan province.

Buzy month for SG leaders this November 2009

Chinese President Hu Jintao arrived here on Wednesday for a state visit and the Economic Leaders Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.

President Hu released a statement upon arrival at the Singapore Changi International Airport, saying he was ready to work for new progress in bilateral relations through this visit.

In the statement, Hu said China and Singapore were friendly neighbors and the two peoples enjoyed a time-honored and profound friendship.

Hu said, since the two countries established diplomatic ties in October 1990, the bilateral relationship had made rapid progress, with fruitful practical cooperation and close coordination in international and regional affairs.

During the state visit, at the invitation of Singapore President S. R. Nathan, Hu will meet with Nathan, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and other senior officials, and will also have extensive contacts with people of various sectors.

China is now the third largest trade partner of Singapore, while Singapore is the 10th largest trade partner of China. Bilateral trade reached 52.4 billion U.S. dollars in 2008, up 10.5 percent over the previous year. In October last year, the two countries signed a free trade agreement, which came into force two months later.

In Singapore, Hu will also attend the Economic Leaders Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Cooperation (APEC) and elaborate China's proposition on economic, trade and other major issues.

"I look forward to attending the 17th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting to exchange views with leaders of other APEC members on deepening Asia-Pacific cooperation and making contribution to regional peace, stability and prosperity," Hu said in the statement.

Hu will also address the APEC CEO Summit on the sidelines of the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting.

Under the theme "Sustaining Growth, Connecting the Region," leaders at the Singapore meeting will address the major issues related to overcoming the global financial crisis and promoting a sustainable economic recovery in the post-crisis world.

Established in 1989, APEC has 21 members, which account for about 41 percent of the world's population, 56 percent of world GDP and about 49 percent of world trade.

APEC's 21 member economies are Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, China's Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, the United States and Vietnam.

APEC has developed into a premier forum for facilitating economic growth, cooperation, trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region. APEC 2009 will focus on overcoming the economic crisis and positioning member economies for a sustainable recovery in the post-crisis world.
The annual APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting, inaugurated in November 1993, was designed to set the strategic policy direction for APEC.

At the end of the meeting, the APEC Economic Leaders' declaration will be issued, outlining the shared views of leaders on key topics and setting the strategic direction of APEC for the forthcoming year.

The Chinese leader flew into Singapore from Malaysia where he concluded a one-day state visit.

Voices of Future

Hear me, hear me yea...

APEC Voices of the Future (VOF) 2009 will be held from 9 to 15 November 2009 in Singapore, in conjunction with the APEC 2009 summit meetings hosted by Singapore this year. An annual youth event for youth leaders in the APEC economies, VOF aims to provide a platform for youth leaders to engage government and business leaders on issues relevant to APEC.

VOF 2009 will bring together 120 youth delegates, aged 18 to 25, from 21 APEC economies to deliberate on and explore issues relevant to the theme of APEC 2009, “Sustaining Growth, Connecting the Region”. This theme reflects the continuing efforts of APEC to facilitate trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region, efforts which have gained even greater importance in the face of a challenging global economic environment.

VOF 2009 is organised by the National Youth Council (NYC) in cooperation with the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) and the National Youth Achievement Award (NYAA) Council.

Presentation of Credentials to Prataman at Istana

Four foreign heads of Missions presented their credentials to President S R Nathan in a ceremony at the Istana on 29 Oct 09.

The four were the Ambassador of the Republic of Panama, His Excellency Jose Antonio Ruiz Blanco, the High Commissioner of the Republic of India, His Excellency Dr T C A Raghavan, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bhutan, His Excellency Tshering Dorji, and the High Commissioner of the Republic of Uganda, Her Excellency Nimisha Jayant Madhvani.

Young Reporters Training Camp 2009 meets President SR Nathan at Istana.

A group of young, aspiring reporters visited President SR Nathan at the Istana on Thursday.

Aged between 14 and 20 years, seventeen youths — from Singapore, Ecuador, Guatemala, Indonesia, South Africa, Azerbaijan, Cook Islands, Lithuania, Macedonia, Solomon Islands, Somalia and Sri Lanka — were at Istana to have tea with the President.

The participants of the Young Reporters Training Camp 2009 learnt about print, broadcast and photo journalism, as well as digital media and broadcast design over the last ten days.

Participants with outstanding projects will be sponsored to return to Singapore during the Youth Olympic Games 2010.

I was on THE Verge of Fainting

The Verge (coupled with the new Chill @ The Verge) is for those who appreciate an interfusion of modernity and ethnicity. Within one accessible spot, venture into our retail mix selection of everyday necessities, cultured fashion, classic beauty parlours, gastronomic menus, quality artificial flowers and much more! This concept is captured in our NEW! look, where alluring colours amalgamate into one focal point.

Enjoyment doesn't have to come at a high price and smart shopping is all about quality and choices. Occupying two levels of The Verge, the newly renovated Sheng Siong Supermarket makes your grocery shopping experience a pleasant one with its spacious isles, neatly displayed promotional items and friendly service staffs. Offering you from a wide variety of cooking ingredients and utensils, your daily toiletry needs, electrical appliances to 50 types of fresh live seafood, your necessities are covered in Sheng Siong Supermarket's largest outlet to date.

When the time strikes 6pm, an array of sumptuous cuisines is available for your contentment. Banquet food-court, another of our key tenant, is recognised for its Halal certified label. Heating up the wok to your preferred home-cooked food, the local selection will boost your appetite. Otherwise, relax yourself, take a breather and stroll down Chill @ The Verge; indulging your taste-bud with names such as Subway, Lerk Thai, Nanyang Cafe and a handful more exciting openings just for you!

We have more: step into Level 5 of The Verge and be lost among flowers and greeneries. Looking exactly like the real ones, hesitating them is purely sinful. Enjoy the moment; select your favourite colour and style at your own pace. Spring your festive seasons with serenity and nature from the range of home-decorations.

Complete your shopping list with our attractive designs of accessories, jewellery and fashion apparels. Taking care of your well-being, visit our Spa & Beauty shops while your loved ones explore the trendy mobile phones. From shopping to entertainment, simply cross over via the link-bridge and sing your hearts out at the family karaoke outlet (available end of 2009) located on the entire Level 2 of Chill @ The Verge.

Endeavour into a UNIQUE shopping experience at The Verge where your preferred choice is never swayed by impulse.

Located in between 2 MRT stations: 3 minutes from the famous tourist attraction - Little India and 8 minutes from Bugis, The Verge is an ideal spot for niche offerings.

Well Named - I was on The Verge of Fainting... some shopkeepers felt shoppers would trip over the new name, which is a play on the word ‘converge’.

Singapore Play Host to F1 Gang

THE good omen for Lewis Hamilton in Singapore started as far back as last Tuesday.

The roots of his superb and commanding win from start to finish in last night's SingTel Singapore Grand Prix, were sown when he first landed here late in the afternoon last Tuesday, and headed for a Mercedes-sponsored public appearance in Paragon.

Looking distinctly more relaxed than he was last year (when he was under pressure to win his first driver's world title and was constantly protected by minders), he showed how much more mature he has become since his explosive entry to the Formula One spotlight two years ago.

With his left leg dangling off his chair playfully as he bantered with the host, he even played 'rah-rah emcee' at one point, asking why the crowd's energy level had dipped at one point.

'Let's bring it up guys!', he raised his voice into the microphone.

Showbiz tips from his Pussycat Doll girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger perhaps? But they had broken up before the Singapore GP date, hadn't they?

Answering the final question that evening, he dropped the bombshell. That he and his Pussycat were reunited and still going strong. Do not believe previous worldwide reports, he said.

The New Paper went to town with it.

At a Bridgestone public appearance on Thursday, he may have been lacking in charisma to the more charming and funnier Jenson Button.

But he did seem intent on winning back the hearts of local fans who thought he was too uptight in Singapore last year (when he and McLaren team-mate Heikki Kovalainen were the only drivers who failed to attend a welcome dinner by President SR Nathan and were panned by F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone and The New Paper too). How Can.... Don't Give FACE to our Prataman!

He told the media: 'The reception I've received in Singapore this year, this time round, is fantastic.

'It's much better than the reception I got last year, I guess, because I'm a bit more experienced now.'

From then on, it was Lewis 'I love Singapore' Hamilton. And it was 'We love you too, Hamilton' by Singapore.

After the final practice on Saturday evening, he criticised the improvements to Turn 10 at the end of the Padang straight.

He said: 'It is a lot worse now. Last year, it was a weird little corner but it was actually good, it was a quick left-right-left, but now it is big fat curves and there is no run-off and I'm sure in a race, someone will crash there.

'If someone were to blow a tyre and have an oversteer moment, slide and hit one of those kerbs, they would fly. It is not very safe.'

Then, Scherzinger - who had pulled out of the weekend's F1 Rocks concert at Fort Canning - made a surprise entrance at the pit building before Saturday night's qualifying.

Morale-booster

That must have given him an extra morale-booster.

And after qualifying on pole position, he was less irritated and said the bumps on the track were not as bad as last year, and that it gave the circuit some character.

Last night, with no driver going off at Turn 10, Hamilton declared the Singapore circuit 'great'.

Again, he paid tribute to Singapore's fans - all 250,000 of them over the past three days - after the race.

Still, as he correctly said later, it also came right for him here because of the enormous unseen team effort behind the scenes.

McLaren's engineering director Paddy Lowe had told The New Paper in an exclusive in yesterday's paper, of the way the team's engineers at trackside had slogged it out till 8.30am on Saturday morning just to make the final adjustments to the car's new upgraded 'For Singapore only' floorboard and front wing.

These parts had been slaved over by the remainder of McLaren's 300-strong team of engineers back in Woking in Surrey, England, for the past seven weeks (after Hamilton won his first race this season in Hungary in late July).

Last night, at Marina Bay, Hamilton roared to his second race win of the season in style as it all came right for him in Singapore.

And for Singapore, he did right all the way.

Prataman Star Award

Professor Miranda Yap
Executive Director, Bioprocessing Technology Institute
Executive Director, A*STAR Graduate Academy
Agency for Science, Technology and Research

“For her sustained, distinguished and strategic contributions to Singapore’s Biomedical Sciences landscape particularly in the areas of developing the biologics industry sector, building the research culture and nurturing young talent”

The winners of this year’s inaugural President’s Science and Technology Awards deserve to be applauded for their achievements and contributions to scientific research and development over the years. They are scientists who have displayed immense pride in their work and tireless dedication to their various fields of research such as biologics, eye diseases, and electrical and computer engineering, and made breakthrough discoveries that contributed much to our economy. These scientists have proven themselves to be fine examples and inspirations to their peers. I congratulate each of them for their successes.

Scientists in Singapore have, over the years, walked the path less trodden to develop science and technology R&D in Singapore. From our humble beginnings in the 1970s when R&D was limited to what the multi-national companies were doing as an extension of their successful manufacturing operations here in Singapore, we have become today a critical node in the global research landscape, attracting many industrial and scientific collaborators from around the world. Indeed, the superior quality of research being conducted in the Agency for Science, Technology and Research, the National University of Singapore, the Nanyang Technological University and other public and private R&D institutes has broken new grounds, created new scientific knowledge and developed new growth industries for our economy. An example would be the biologics industry that was developed, to a large extent, through the efforts and commitment of Professor Miranda Yap – the winner of the inaugural President’s Science and Technology Medal.

As the forces of globalisation advance, Singapore’s ability to remain globally competitive will be critical. Building up our scientific talent pool is and will be our way forward. In R&D, it is people who will create knowledge and generate ideas to keep R&D at the cutting edge, and open up new growth areas. As we look forward to the future, we must continue to develop our scientific talent as well as attract other talent from around the world to anchor their research activities here. To do so, we will have to conscientiously create an environment that is open and supportive, and conducive for these knowledge-creators to develop themselves as well as make contributions to Singapore and the world.

I encourage all scientists in Singapore to persevere in their deep and long-term commitment to scientific research. Their labour and dedication have brought about tremendous benefits for both themselves and the nation. I trust that as they continue pursuing their passion, they will also ignite that same passion and inspire the next generation of scientists. Working together, I am confident that they will help create a brighter future for all of us.

S R NATHAN

Prataman to busy to attand RF Party Dinner

During the Reform Party dinner anniversary 25 September 2009, diners were surprised when a photo of Singapore President Mr S R Nathan suddenly appeared on the screen in front of them.

It turned out that Mr Nathan was invited for the dinner. As he was unable to attend, he sent his well wishes to the Reform Party:

http://www.temasekreview.com/wp-content/themes/church_10/images/thumbnails/reformdinner585.jpg

Ah Neh Best Bankers in the World

DBS Group has appointed veteran banker Piyush Gupta as its new chief executive officer, ending a global search that has lasted several months.

Mr Gupta is currently Citibank's CEO for South East Asia-Pacific, covering ASEAN, Australia, New Zealand and Guam.

Analysts, whom Channel NewsAsia spoke to on Tuesday, said the certainty of a new CEO will help DBS prepare for growth ahead, amid signs that the worst of the market downturn is over.

Alfred Chan, analyst at Fitch Ratings Singapore, said: "The appointment of this CEO is rather timely since the signs of deterioration are abating and there is definitely increased opportunity for lending and other businesses.

"How this will translate for the bank depends on what the CEO will say once he steps into DBS bank."

Analysts also said concerns over Mr Gupta's lack of experience in the India and China markets – where DBS has long-term ambitions – are unfounded.

They said it is not his geographical expertise that counts, but rather the experience he brings from a large multinational lender that should be the focus.

Roger Tan, vice-president, SIAS Research, said: "Citibank has had good strategies in branding itself for the past few years. It's also implementing good operational strategies.

"If he can bring all these ideas into DBS, branding DBS, improving the operational excellence within DBS, it will make the bank stronger than what it is now."

Mr Gupta's appointment is subject to regulatory approval and he is expected to join DBS in November.

Singaporeans welcome U!

Ah Neh Murder Ram Tiwary Says - I NOT GUILTY

At the start of this retrial on Monday for the murder of his two flatmates in 2003, Ram Puneet Tiwary stood up in court and when asked to enter a plea replied confidently: 'Not guilty.'

Those words began a three-week trial in which a Sydney court will once again try to determine what happened that year on Sept 15, when police were called to the apartment where Tiwary lived and found his flatmates dead.

The men, Mr Tony Tan Poh Chuan, 27, and Mr Tay Chow Lyang, 26, had been bludgeoned to death and Tiwary, then 23, was found shaking with blood on his hands. He was convicted of murder, but a retrial was ordered by the Court of Appeal after it ruled that the trial judge had instructed the jury improperly with regard to how they should view certain pieces of evidence.

On Monday, however, the prosecution in the case said it would show beyond a reasonable doubt that Tiwary murdered Tan and Tay, and that the issue of rental for the apartment he shared with the two students was at the centre of the case.

Crown Prosecutor John Kiely alleged that Tiwary had not been paying his share of the rent of the suburban Barker Street apartment where the men lived, going by notes found in Mr Tay's handwriting. The notes stated outstanding sums owed by Tiwary.

Mr Tay had been in charge of settling the A$2,172.60 (S$2,640) rent each month, before collecting his housemates' share. However, Mr Tan and Mr Tay were due to complete their studies and return to Singapore at the end of the semester, leaving Tiwary in the 'stressful situation' of taking on the rent himself, said Mr Kiely. He added: 'There were no more time-outs.'

Referring to items found on the victims, the prosecutor pointed out that both the dead men's wallets appeared intact and contained cash. 'It would appear that robbery was not a motive in this case,' he said.

When the authorities arrived at the scene, they found Tiwary running towards them. He told them that he had been asleep and that he heard his flatmates screaming. When he later came out of his bedroom, they were lying motionless, covered in blood, he said.

Forensic examinations found Mr Tan's blood and strands of hair on a baseball bat owned by Tiwary. Spots of blood found on Tiwary also came from Mr Tan. Mr Kiely said that although the evidence of the case is largely circumstantial, this did not necessarily mean that it was a weak case. He said: 'Sometimes, circumstantial cases can be more convincing and more powerful.'

The case, scheduled to run for three weeks, resumes this morning, when the 12 jury members will be taken to the scene of the murders to get a clearer idea of the apartment's layout, as well its surrounding areas. Video evidence of Tiwary being interviewed by the police will also be screened in court.

I Am Sleeping Lah!

Protest with COW head is OK in Mudland!

The Home Minister today defended and justified last Friday's cow-head demonstration after meeting with Malay-Muslim representatives of Shah Alam's Section 23 at his office here today.

Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein pointed out that the residents felt victimized and had no intention to stir racial emotion.

“They are not getting off scot-free. They felt victimised and feel that there is another valid explanation on their part. There was no intention on their part to cause racial divide. They, the organisers, who are sitting left and right of me, didn’t even know that somebody was going to bring the head of the cow during that demonstration.” he said.

He added that the residents only wanted their voices to be heard but it was unfortunate that “the publicity they received was negative because it was linked with racial and religious sentiments.”

A group, claiming to be Muslim residents of Section 23 in Shah Alam, the new site of a Hindu temple, held a demonstration outside the Selangor state secretariat last Friday, dragging a severed cow-head, an animal sacred in Hinduism, which they stomped on and spat at under the gaze of the riot police.

The act was carried out by a group of 50 protestors who oppose the relocation of the Sri Mahamariamman Temple to Section 23 from Section 19, claiming the area is mainly occupied by Malay-Muslims.

The 150-year-old temple was built on a plantation which over the years was developed into housing estates by the Selangor Development Corporation (PKNS). No provisions were made to relocate the temple, which is now in the middle of a Muslim majority area.

Hishammuddin told reporters that the police allowed the demonstrators to proceed because the numbers of protestors were small.

“They said that they were very conscious and all that they wanted to do was to voice their unhappiness about the willingness of the state government to listen to their requests. I was told that even the Hindus there are not so passionate that it is built there (section 23),” he said.

Hishammuddin refuted claims that the protest was organised by Umno and said that the location allocated by the state government is not suitable because Section 23 is predominantly Malay.

However, a check last week showed the neighbourhood was multi-racial, with Indians making up more than a quarter of those who live there.

“If I wanted to use the issue to create chaos in Selangor, I can but we didn’t take such actions,” Hishammuddin said.

He tried to play down the cow-head incident by pointing out that there were previous incidents where a pig-head was used.

“I have it in my records to show there were cases where a pig-head was used by irresponsible parties including leaving the head in front of an Umno building covered by an Umno flag,” he said, but offered no details of such an act.

The Umno vice-president warned irresponsible parties not to provoke racial sentiments because it goes against the concept of 1 Malaysia.

Hishammuddin told reporters that the residents had met with Hindu Sangam two days ago and both parties will be releasing a media statement tomorrow.

“If it can be resolved quickly and can be done with both sides understanding each other ... why would we want to penalise anybody?” he said, suggesting he was not in favour of legal action to be taken against any of the protestors.

Ah Neh Rapist

An Indian-born fashion designer convicted of sexually abusing a string of teenage girls and women was sentenced to a minimum of 59 years in jail by a Los Angeles judge.

Anand Jon Alexander, 35, whose clothes had reportedly been worn by stars celebrities including Paris Hilton and Mary J. Blige, was found guilty of 16 sex crimes, including forcible rape and sexual battery, at a trial in November.

Alexander represented himself at Monday's sentencing hearing, where he broke down in tears as he requested a new trial. The judge rejected his request.

Prosecutors at Los Angeles Superior Court had accused him of preying on a string of girls and women aged between 14 and 21 over a six-year period from 2002 to 2007.

Nine women testified against Alexander during his trial. Most of the designer's victims were aspiring models lured into meetings with Alexander and forced into sex, prosecutors said.

Alexander is also the subject of an indictment made up of similar allegations in New York, as well as an ongoing probe in Dallas.